Shiree’s Story

At 18 I ruptured a lumbar disc, my life put on hold due to a spinal injury with no support from ACC. Twelve years later I had dealt with the pain for many years and it was a way of life, so I thought, prescribed tramadol, anti-flam’s , I hated them, I felt like a zombie, I was told by a doctor to look into alternative medicines, he knew my pain and he supported my natural trials. Green “weed” a drug I related to lazy people was stopping my pain, didn’t make me dizzy and nauseous like the pharmaceuticals did and I had my mind back, I wanted to walk again and exercise and I felt better than I had in years. Off and on over the years I used Cannabis to dull the pain and heighten my mind when needed, I wasn’t needing the high I needed the other benefits of it.

At 25 I was diagnosed with stage 2 Endometritis, an inflammatory condition of the the lining of the uterus. I had 3 endo removal surgeries, and this week I will walk into my 4th removal surgery, the pain is bad, and mind was controlled by hormones and I started to get angry at my situation, my thyroid was going crazy, the emotional stress and exhaustion is hard to overcome, but I could live a normal life while taking a natural plant instead of prescription painkillers, I was happier.

2014 I ruptured the same disc again but this time it was bad, really bad, the pain was unbearable, I had ruptured it so bad that it was pressing on my spinal cord, I couldn’t feel my left leg and needed urgent surgery, I was working full time while trying to take the prescription painkillers, physio, hydrotherapy and anxiously waiting for my surgery. I felt like I couldn’t drive on the pain killers, and I was a zombie to be around. My surgical team were impressed with my progress, my ability to walk so quickly after and the pain started to go away. They couldn’t understand why I was only taking Tramadol 1-2 times a week, they wanted me on 4-8 a day, but I couldn’t handle the dumb mind and no energy to do anything, so I’d smoke in secret. It lead me to clean for hours, go for long walks, reading , resting and I was more “on earth” than I was on the pills, I was happier and had for the first time in ages been pain free.

From my experience, Cannabis was the only thing that helped the pain, dizziness & nausea, keep up the appetite when I was too sore to eat, and keep my mind happy and determined to keep going.

My parents, doctor, partner and family all know and support my use and I have maintained a full time office job for the whole time. I own my house, reliable, honest and hard working, and no body knows how much or when I take my medicine.

Cannabis was my gate way drug, a gateway to a better way of life!! All the people I have spoken to who were on similar pharmaceuticals are still relying on them/addicted, which for some has unfortunately led to harder drugs or rehabilitation to get off the drugs a doctor prescribed.

My grandparents were given some “brownies” when suffering from cancer and they loved it, they felt better than they had in years, they wanted more but didn’t want to deal with the “gang screen” to obtain it. Why deny an old man the right to be happy, hungry and comfortable while suffering? Or stop a kids seizures? Or those in chronic pain?

When given a choice between opiates & THC, I choose THC. I’d rather pay Tax and obtain it from a shop than the dodgy guy not paying tax and supporting god knows what with the money.

NZ needs to grow, sell legally R18 for medical purposes only, Tax paid and stop making us take man made pills that kill, cause addictions and destroy minds. USA is the best example of the benefits of legalising Cannabis and what that can do for our society, less addictions to pharmaceuticals, more tax for health care, better relief for chronic pain or terminal suffering. Why is this so hard to see that the benefits outweigh the negatives. The war should be on man made drugs, not natures medicine.